Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang

To get from Suvarnabhumi (BKK) to Don Mueang (DMK), often spelled Don Muang, take the free airport shuttle if you hold an onward flight ticket and a passport or national ID. It runs 05:00 to 24:00, every 30 minutes, and Time Out puts the trip at 1 to 2 hours depending on traffic. A private car cost $34.34 per car for up to two travelers when we checked on 12 October 2026.

The free shuttle bus: who can ride

Airports of Thailand runs a free shuttle bus between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang for passengers with onward flights. It is not open to the general public. To board, you need a flight ticket or other proof of onward travel from the other airport, plus your passport or national ID. If you are only going into the city, or flying home from the same airport, the shuttle is not for you.

The bus runs from 05:00 to 24:00, every 30 minutes. At Suvarnabhumi it leaves from Level 2, Gate 3, on the inner curb, and the shuttle’s phone number is +66 84 718 8800. At Don Mueang it leaves from the International Terminal (Terminal 1), first floor, Gate 3, and from the Domestic Terminal (Terminal 2), first floor, Gate 14. According to Time Out, the bus drops you at Suvarnabhumi’s fourth floor, Gate 5, and at Don Mueang’s Terminal 1, third floor, Gates 7 to 8, both on the departures level. Time Out also reports that each bus waits about 15 minutes at the pickup point.

Airports of Thailand gives no journey time. Time Out says 1 to 2 hours, depending on traffic. The airports sit on opposite sides of Bangkok, so plan for the long end at rush hour.

Private car between the airports

If you do not qualify for the shuttle, travel as a group or want to leave the moment you have your bags, the OTO Trip Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang private transfer is the one to book. When we checked on 12 October 2026, it cost $34.34 from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang and $34.20 the other way, per car for up to two travelers. The vehicle is assigned by party size: a sedan for 1 to 2 passengers with 2 bags, an SUV for 3 to 4 with 4 bags, a van for 5 to 7 with 7 bags.

Fuel, parking, toll fees, an airport meet and greet, and water with a cold towel are included. On arrival pickups the driver waits up to 2 hours after the booked pickup time; extra waiting costs more. Child seats for ages 1 to 3 cost THB 200 per seat each way. The listing is rated 4.43 from 37 reviews, and one recent low review describes a 30-minute wait for meeting instructions, so make sure the meeting point is in your confirmation before you fly. The operator texts your driver’s name and number the day before. Our review of the OTO Trip transfer has the full listing.

Check this route before you book a city transfer for it. Several Bangkok hotel transfers, including My Bangkok Holiday’s, state that a run between BKK and DMK may cost an extra THB 500.

Taxi and Grab

At Suvarnabhumi, taxis leave from the queue on Level 1, between Gates 4 and 7. You pay the meter, a 50 THB airport surcharge and any expressway tolls. The airport’s guide says the meter applies within about 20 km and longer trips may be priced by agreement, and no official distance between the two airports is published, so settle with the driver before you leave whether you are on the meter or a fixed price. At Don Mueang, taxis pick up at Terminal 1, Level 1, Gate 8, or at Level 1 of the parking garage beside Terminal 2.

Grab picks up at Suvarnabhumi on Level 1, Gate 4, outer curb. At Don Mueang, Airports of Thailand lists the Grab service point at Terminal 2, Level 1, Gate 14. Follow the point the app shows you. A car uses the same roads as the shuttle, so it is not reliably faster in traffic. The taxi vs Grab guide compares the two at both airports.

By rail and bus

No train runs directly between the airports, and the planned high-speed rail link has not been built. With light luggage you can piece together a route. Take the Airport Rail Link from Suvarnabhumi to Phaya Thai (45 THB, about 26 to 30 minutes), change to the BTS Skytrain to Mo Chit, and catch the A1 bus to Don Mueang (30 THB). Or ride the Airport Rail Link to Makkasan, walk to the MRT Blue Line at Phetchaburi, ride to Bang Sue for Krung Thep Aphiwat, and take the SRT Dark Red Line to Don Mueang (about 15 to 17 minutes). You pay a separate fare on each line. Airports of Thailand also lists a public van, route 555, from Suvarnabhumi’s Public Transportation Center to Don Mueang.

Connecting on separate tickets

If your two flights are on separate tickets, you collect your bags at the first airport and check in again at the second. Add up the parts. The shuttle can take up to 2 hours, and Airports of Thailand advises arriving at Don Mueang at least 2 hours before departure. That puts the bus leaving Suvarnabhumi at least 4 hours before your next flight, before counting the time it takes to land, clear the airport and reach Gate 3. Commercial fast-track sellers report long immigration queues in the November to April high season, so leave more room if you arrive on an international flight. If the timing does not work, sleep at the departure airport: our guide to airport hotels with a free shuttle covers the Amari and Sleep Box at Don Mueang.

BKK and DMK: which is which

Suvarnabhumi is about 31 km east of central Bangkok and runs one passenger terminal for international and domestic flights. Don Mueang is about 25 km north, with Terminal 1 for international flights and Terminal 2 for domestic ones. Both handle international flights, so check the three-letter code on each ticket. The Suvarnabhumi transfers guide and the Don Mueang transfers guide cover each airport in full.

Practical tips

• Keep your onward boarding pass or e-ticket and passport in hand at the shuttle stop.
• After 24:00 the shuttle stops, so book a private car or take a taxi.
• Confirm the meeting point in writing before you fly if you book a private car.
• Leave a long gap between separate-ticket flights.
• Heading out of Bangkok instead? See Bangkok Airport to Pattaya.

Quick recommendations

• If you have an onward flight from the other airport → take the free shuttle.
• If you are three or more with bags, or land outside 05:00 to 24:00 → book the OTO Trip private car.
• If you just want the cheapest ride with no onward flight → take the rail and bus route in daylight.
• If you prefer an app with the price shown first → use Grab.

What we checked

We looked for private transfers that run directly between the two airports on GetYourGuide and Viator, chose the listing that covers both directions with a clear per-vehicle price, and checked its real-date prices for two adults on 12 October 2026. Shuttle rules, pickup points and fares come from the Airports of Thailand pages and dated reports noted above. Inclusions such as waiting time and child seats vary by listing.